Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

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The Washington Redskins came into today’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers needing a win on the road to stop a two-game losing streak as the team gets into the meat of its tough schedule.

Though things certainly got interesting in the fourth quarter, a win was exactly what the Redskins earned today at Raymond James Stadium, as they dispensed of the Buccaneers, 24-22.

The fourth quarter certainly didn’t start in the Redskins’ favor.

The Redskins (2-2) got what looked like a chip-shot, 31-yard field-goal attempt for kicker Billy Cundiff, but he missed it — his third miss of the game — and gave the ball back to a Buccaneers (1-3) team looking to cut the deficit to single-digits.

Five plays and 79 yards later, that’s exactly what they did, as running back LeGarrette Blount rumbled in from two yards out for the touchdown. After a failed two-point conversion attempt, the Redskins only led by two at 21-19 with 9:41 remaining in the quarter.

The touchdown was set up by a couple of huge passes to Jackson allowed by the Redskins secondary that went for a combined 77 yards.

The Redskins went three and out on their ensuing drive, as Griffin III’s pass attempt to Santana Moss sailed on third down, leading to the punt.

The Buccaneers began their first potential go-ahead drive with 8:14 left in the game from their own 33-yard line. Two plays later, Josh Freeman found receiver Tiquan Underwood for 15 yards across the middle, and on the next play, running back Doug Martin continued the drive into Redskins territory with a three-yard run. On third down, however, Freeman tried to find Martin for a screen pass, but he was met head-on by outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan for a seven-yard loss, forcing a Tampa Bay punt.

The Redskins faced a 3rd and 10 on their next drive, and after Griffin III scanned the field for his receivers, he took off toward the sideline and the first-down marker. The ref ruled he went out of bounds after gaining nine yards, but head coach Mike Shanahan challenged the spot, arguing that Griffin III instead earned the first down. The ruling on the field stood, however, and the Redskins were forced to punt on 4th and 1 with 3:50 remaining in the game.

The Buccaneers began their second stab at a potential go-ahead drive at their own 36 with 3:38 remaining. They first went to Martin on the ground, who got seven yards to his left. The next play, a pass to tight end Dallas Clark, was good for four yards and a first down. Next, Tiquan Underwood made an amazing diving catch for 19 yards to the Redskins’ 34-yard line, putting the Buccaneers in field-goal range with the two-minute warning coming and going.

The drive ended with Connor Barth nailing a 47-yard field goal after Tampa Bay went 36 yards in seven plays to give the Buccaneers their second lead of the game, 22-21, with 1:42 remaining.

Griffin III and the Redskins’ offense started their next drive from their 20-yard line with a 15-yard pass-and-catch to Moss. On the very next play, Griffin III found tight end Fred Davis for 20 yards across the middle to the Tampa Bay 45. After a short pass to running back Evan Royster for four yards, Griffin III found wide-open real estate across the middle and rushed to the 26-yard line before spiking the ball and killing the clock with 18 seconds to go.

A false start by guard Kory Lichtensteiger backed the ball up to the 31-yard line, but on the next play, with Griffin III in the shotgun and Royster to his right, he found Moss again for a 24-yard line with seven seconds remaining. After a timeout, Cundiff got his revenge by nailing a 41-yard field goal to give the Redskins the 24-22 lead and the win.

The positives from today’s game?

– Alfred Morris topped the century mark for rushing for the first time in his short career. He also added a rushing touchdown — his fourth of the season — and did so against the league’s toughest rushing defense.
– Nine different Redskins caught passes today, and that’s without Aldrick Robinson playing.
– The Redskins gave up a lead, but they fought back and got that lead back and earned the victory in the final seconds. That’s huge for a young, scrappy team.

The negatives?

– Cundiff missing three field goals is never a good thing, obviously. One miss was from 57 yards, which would’ve been a career-high, but the other misses were certainly ones that an NFL kicker should be making at a successful rate. But Cundiff can certainly bounce back from this — no matter how much flack he catches from outsiders — especially considering he made the final attempt.
– The Redskins’ secondary played two and a half solid quarters against the Buccaneers, but the rest of the game made Freeman look like an MVP candidate.

6 Responses
to “WAS-TB: Fourth Quarter Conclusions”

Been a lifelong fan of the skins, it seems we always have to suffer at the end of games, hopeful for the future though, but this team needs to find consistency to put away winnable games as this one, and fight back when needed. RGIII it seems, will always move the chains. Finally a franchise QB…!!! HTTR…

While RG III continues to impress, I think the emergence of the running game with Morris has been the most pleasant surprise. Offensively the Redskins seem to be going in the right direction..If they can just get that defense to come together I think they will be impressive as a team indeed..It’s always been my thought that special teams are so very important as today in the league will attest to. Missed field goals, blocked punts, and look at the Lions terrible run with consecutive weeks with a punt and a td return for scores. This Bucs team was not a pushover by any means and the Redskins of old would have found a way to lose rather than find a waay to win. Hopefully this is Cundiffs one really bad game this year…

Not the kind of win you celebrate. Can’t imagine if they lost…offense is inconsistent. 2nd straight game they only manage 3 points in an entire half….passing game consists of screens and quick,one-read throws. Reduces the chance for an INT, but also contributes to many 3 and outs….Defense played ok, but TB is awful…Why is Cundiff our kicker? don’t think he would’ve beat out Gano in competition….3 starting QBs in the NFL need to be benched: Freeman, Russell Wilson and Sanchez…

Inconsistent offense?? They lead the league in rushing yards and are top 5 in scoring and yards per game. I would hardly call that inconsistent. The TB game was the first time they’ve been held without a TD for an entire half this season so you clearly have no idea what you’re talking about. You should probably watch the games before you come on here and make yourself look like a fool.

Nice to be on the right side of one of these nail-biters for a change, but hoping we can stop making nail-biters out of games that should be won by more comfortable margins that don’t require last-second heroics. Tough day for Cundiff, but Gano was no picnic. I was hoping Rackers might have made the team, he seems to excel in situations like these. If Cundiff keeps this up, Mr Rackers might find himself back in camp. Although, the squib kick after the FG was a thing of beauty, and perfectly executed. Don’t think Gano has those kicking skills. TB was forced to handle the ball in the middle of the field and run themselves out of clock. Just sorry we had to make it that close. Anybody know the status of the pre-game collision victims? What a fiasco that was. Next year’s draft: best 2nd rd CB we can find, then OL, S, and more OL. And please, will somebody sit our WRs down and tell them to knock it off? NFL means Not for Long if they keep putting us in ridiculous situations like that. First Morgan and now Garcon, enough already. Just happy we’re treading water at .500.